New eastern EU members may enjoy open borders by Christmas

EU Business reports that senior European Union officials expect a final decision to end passport and security checks at land and sea borders between the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia and their adjacent older EU member states in November, meaning freer travel by the Christmas holidays. Airports are scheduled to join the zone next March.

Meanwhile, the EU Observer reports that non-members (so far) Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia have signed visa agreements to make travel to the EU easier and less costly for their citizens. The Balkan countries are pushing for visa requirements to be eliminated altogether; the EU remains hesitant.